Heart & Soul
by Erina-chan
Summary: Brock and Tracey are gone...but they still can't rest in peace quite yet. Their immortal souls are plucked from 'limbo' by Catalia - the beautiful and mysterious Head Fate Angel, because of a litte problem with Ash and Misty back on Earth...
1. Unexpected News

**H**EART &** S**OUL

## Part One: Unexpected News

# "Surreal…" Tracey whistled under his breath and backed away from the large marble Tauros headed statue. Irritably, he glanced around. It wasn't fair, he thought. Other guys his age get to dream about getting off with beautiful buxom blondes – while he dreams about being totally lost in marble decorated rooms, with…he looked a little closer…yes, pink clouds dotted around. Pink clouds… Again he shook his head abysmally. He made a mental note not to tell anyone about this; he was having a hard enough time convincing many he wasn't gay already.

# "That's it Trace-" he whispered to himself. "The next time Misty offers you her home cooking before you go to bed, say NO…" 

**"Talking to yourself Mr Sketchitt?" **came an amused voice. **"Isn't that the first sign of madness?" **Tracey turned around, and did a double take.

**"Angels?" **he queried to nowhere in particular. **"What next? Male chipendales? Why the hell do I have such girlish dreams!" **he whined. Suddenly he did a double take on his double take. The angel was a woman – AND HOW! Pink hair like the Joys, buxom, _and_ barely dressed. Things were looking up. 

"**Tracey Kenji Sketchitt," **the angel began efficiently, pulling out a rolled up parchment from under the tiny scrap of pale pink silk that kept her decent. She made an impressed noise. **"Wow, you've been waiting long. 2000 was it? Bummer." **Tracey didn't have a clue what she was on about, but her exposed cleavage was enough to make him nod in agreement. 

**_"Heh, Brock would love this!" _**he thought. Suddenly, he heard a crash, and one of the marble statues shattered on the floor. A familiar voice cursed loudly. Tracey panicked. **_"Nonononono that didn't mean I wanted him in my dream!" _**

**__****"Brock Takeshi Slate," **said the angel, pulling out another parchment. **"You're late. It's not like you two are in a rush! You've both been waiting around for years!" **As if called to the feminine voice like a beacon, Brock suddenly appeared from out of the pink coloured fog, drooling down the angel's top as he struggled to form sentences. Suddenly he noticed Tracey standing there non-plussed.

**"Tracey?" **he murmured. **"But I haven't dreamed about you since-"**

**"This is not a dream gentlemen." **Suddenly, the angel clicked her fingers, and momentarily, the three were sitting on a round, red velvet sofa. The angel was now dressed in red velvet pants and low cut top, and her hair had changed to a fiery red as well. **"It is very much reality," **she smiled. **"My name is Cataliacacphrious." **The boys blinked simultaneously. She smiled again. **"Or maybe you can just refer to me as Catalia. Anyway, I am a Fate Angel. You two have been in blissful limbo-" **All of a sudden a harp played 3 short notes; **"-for a period of time – Tracey for 5 years, Brock for 3." **Catalia paused and ran a tongue over her lips and flexed her short feathery silver wings. **"And now I need your help."**

**"What are you talking about?" **Catalia paused again.

**"I trust you still remember Ashton Ketchum and Misty Waterflower?" **she asked hesitantly.

**"Remember them!" **cried Tracey, slightly panicking at the fact he wasn't waking up. **"I just spent the day with them!" **His brow furrowed. **"In fact I can't even remember going to sleep."**

**"What's the last thing you remember Tracey?" **Catalia asked compassionately. Brock was now looking at Tracey in horror, and had started to discretely pinch his own arm. Tracey was quiet for a moment.

**"Me and Ash and Misty were on a shopping trip in Trovitopolis in the Orange Islands…" **he practically whispered.** "And the last thing that I remember is…is…we were crossing the road and…and…Misty screamed, and my head hurt a lot…and then I just turned up here…" **Brock looked like he was going to throw up. Catalia turned to him now.

**"Would you like to tell him Brock?"**

**"Tell him what?" **Brock squeaked. Catalia looked at him again. **"Tracey…I know this is just a dream I'm having, and it's not re-" **Catalia glared at him. **"Um, Tracey man you died two years ago…you were killed in a hit and run accident in Trovitopolis." **Tracey stared quietly.

**"And what's the last thing you remember Brock?" **Brock answered immediately and defiantly.

**"I was ill. I was real ill. And the doctors couldn't cure me…but…but that doesn't mean I'm dead…and it doesn't mean that Tracey's dead and it doesn't mean that you're a real angel and it doesn't mean anything! This is just a dream! A stupid DREAM!" **Brock was on the verge of tears. Tracey sat in silence. Catalia sighed.

**"Look, all I'm asking of you two is to realise that you're dead! You two are DEAD! As in NOT ALIVE! And you better realise that soon cos you two have a job to do."**

** **

** **

In a cold sweat, Brock sat up quickly, temporarily fighting with the unfamiliar, and slightly suffocating feather duvet cover. Breathing out heavily through pursed lips, he silently thanked…well…God that it had just been a dream. Then suddenly, he realised that the heaviness on his chest, and the difficulty it took to breath, which he had grown accustomed to over the last few months were gone. Then he noticed that he had no idea where he was. 

The room was all decorated in shades of grey – ranging from a deep, almost black grey to practically 'dirty white'. _Then_ Brock noticed that Catalia was sitting on his bed, her short clipped wings decorated with sequins, and wearing a short grey dress. Her hair, he had correctly guessed, changed colour to suit her surroundings, so now was an unearthly shimmery silver – not unlike her wings. 

**"Okay, point taken. The duvet was a bad idea!" **She flipped herself nimbly off the bed and her diminutive wings made a musical humming noise as she hovered just a few inches above the grey carpet. **"Well of course DEAD people like you don't need duvets for warmth –you don't feel temperature change. But I thought it might help you ease into the AFTERLIFE," **she commented airily. 

**"What do you want!?" **cried Brock, brandishing the nearest item briskly at her. **"Tell me straight! Don't be cryptic! Or…or…else!" **Catalia arched a silvery eyebrow cynically. 

**"Or you'll blink me to death?" **Brock looked down at the small table lamp in his hands and sweatdropped. She sighed. **"Let's get Mr Sketchitt first, and we'll get this all out of the way." **Catalia's voice echoed down the hallway, backed by the hovering hum, as Brock followed tiredly yet obediently behind her. **"…please. You boys…so stubborn! It's not like I have a lot of TIME on my hands…I'm the head Fate Angel – as in I make sure fate happens? If it wasn't for me you would all be green and have seven variations of how to reproduce…"**

** **

** **

Tracey's room was done in attractive shades of turquoise and teal, and upon entry, Catalia's hair changed to a shade eerily like Misty's eyes. She stopped hovering, and flopped into a large chair. The boys looked at each other edgily, and followed her example. Catalia heaved an exhausted sigh.

**"Okay boys, this is it. You two are dead. You've been waiting in blissful limbo-" **Three short harp notes came out of nowhere. Catalia carried on unfazed. **"-since the moment of your death. We would have sent you _onwards_ but our prophet predicted that we would need you. And it turns out that he's right." **Brock sniffled loudly, and Tracey just continued staring into space. Catalia leaned in closer, as if she didn't want the walls to hear her next words. **"Okay, the deal is that Ash and Misty's fate is to get married to each other and have three children-" **Tracey caught Brock's eye and they both grinned. **"Their oldest will be Rosa Ayeka Ketchum. She will manufacture a new kind of Pok****éball, stronger than a MasterBall, which will have been found to not catch _all_ Pok****émon by then. She calls it the KetchBall, and it's with this type of Pok****éball, that a great scientist will catch a new spirit Pok****émon, Sukii. This Pok****émon's DNA will able doctors to find cures for all the major currently incurable diseases."**

****Brock and Tracey just stared, mouths agog. It was…too much to take in all at once! Catalia sighed. 

**"But Ash and Misty have had a major fight, which we predicted, but some other power-" **she cast her eyes meaningfully downwards. **"-interfered, and Misty stormed off, before her and Ash could realise they loved each other. Therefore no marriage, no Rosa, no Pok****éball, no cures. Of course, we've tried to see if there's any other way the KetchBall could be fashioned, but there are simply no loopholes. It's either Rosa Ketchum, or…sayonara to the greatest medical discovery ever for another two hundred thousand years," **There was a respectful silence, before Brock spoke up.

**"But what do you expect from us? As you are so fond of reminding us, we're dead!" **he yelled. Catalia grinned so broadly, he was immediately suspicious. 

**"Come now Mr Slate," **Catalia crooned, crossing her legs. **"Don't tell me you've never heard of…ghosts?"**

** **

** **

**"Do your own dirty work!" **yelled Tracey as he and Brock were pushed by Catalia to a purple and black swirling vortex in a gold room. Her hair and clothes had changed accordingly. She looked wistful.

**"Oh if only I could. I haven't been to Earth since- um, get going you two!" **With surprising strength, she shoved them into the vortex. They hung there for a minute, feeling their clothes tug this way and that, but their skin remained still. Their breath hung in the air, and gave the impression that they should be freezing, but they felt no discomfort. **"Ja n****é you guys!" **Catalia called as they felt themselves being sucked towards the dark centre of the distortion, arguing about who was going to 'spy' on the now 20 year old Misty.

[A/N]

Well okaaaaay…(screws eyes shut. Waits for a minute. Opens them again). Tee hee – Bumper cars, bumper cars, number 38, she lived round the coooo-ooooorner. Reviewers hate this, and put me into jail, how many flames will Riny-chan get? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5? 

Okay so it's not romance yet, and it's not PdA8 either, and it kinda switches from Tracey-bashing to Brock-bashing and then back to Tracey-bashing cos I couldn't make up my mind! I hope it's not tooooooo confusing, the idea I was trying to write down is it? 

I was just staring at my laptop screen at the first paragraph I'd typed of PdA8, decided that if I wanted the ending to be any good, I needed to take a break from it!

Sorry everything's taking so long. I'm moving, and I have History coursework and LORD OF THE FLIES! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! I think it's WELL sexist there are no girls on the island…*cough cough* Sorry, getting off topic. 

Okay, so two things to answer in the review.

1)Would you like me to continue this?

2)Do you think it's okay for a 14/15 (that general age range or even older) to still have something like a teddy or a security blanket; something they've had since they were a baby??

Ack – one day I'll spend more time writing the fic than the Author Notes. I promise ^^;


	2. First Day On The Job

**H**EART &** S**OUL

# Part Two: First Day On The Job

******"Um, hey Tracey?"**

**"Yeah?"**

**"Aren't angels, or ghosts…or whatever we are, supposed to be able to do all this stuff like…fly and um, dematerialise and stuff?"**

**"Uh yeah I guess…"**

**"Then why are we taking the Magnet Train?"**

**"Hey Brock, I don't see any wings on my back, and I for one am not willing to jump off the Radio Tower to check!"**

**"…Good point."**

Tracey shoved his hands in the pockets of his shorts, and managed an innocent whistle of sorts as he made his way carefully through the throng of people on the platform. A squeal from behind him made him whirl around in alarm, to find Brock staring at his hands.

**"What?" **he said impatiently. 

**"I-I just went to tap this girl on the shoulder…" **stuttered Brock, still gazing at his hands. **"A-and…and…"**

**"Your hand went right through her?" **guessed Tracey. Brock nodded. **"Yeah well what were you expecting – we're ghosts…haven't you ever seen Ghost?" **Brock stared at him bewildered, and Tracey sighed. **"Come on."**

**"Hey Trace, does this mean we can sneak into the girls' changing rooms?"**

**"….what changing rooms you idiot! Why would they have changing rooms in a train station?"**

**"Well I was thinking we could make a day of it…you know, look around Goldenrod…all the girls' clothes shops…kinda like sightseeing!"**

**"Brock! We have work to do!"**

**"Yeah I know but…"**

**"Hello! We're talking about our immortal souls here! And our best friends! And all you can think about is-"**

With a screeching sound, the Magnet Train blew into the large station, and halted immediately. Tracey waited impatiently for the woman in front of him to press the open door button.

**"So...I'm guessing we don't need to buy tickets right?" **Brock asked, meekly.

**"Just get in the train Brock."**

** **

** **

**"So, who gets Ash and who gets Misty?"**

**"I think you should go to Ash, Brock. You two were much closer than him and I."**

**"Get real! You just want to haunt Misty – you've had a crush on her ever since the Orange League!"**

**"You get real! I have not!"**

**"Yeah yeah whatever Bandana-boy."**

**"What did you call me?"**

**"You know she thinks you're gay."**

**"Who does?"**

**"Misty. And Ash. And everyone else come to think of it."**

**"I AM NOT GAY! Why does everyone keep saying that!"**

**"Well you've gotta admit you can be rather 'camp' Tracey…"**

**"Camp?"**

The train slid smoothly to a halt, stopping the conversation. There was a roar and a massive squeeze as what looked and sounded like the population of Johto poured out between the tiny automatic doors and disappeared into the smog of Saffron City. Tracey walked out slowly; he was getting used to this ghost stuff. 

**"Well you'd better get going Brock, you've got a long walk to Pallet!" **Tracey laughed as he jogged northwards from the station.

**"Hey wait a second!" **Brock yelled, grabbing Tracey's green tee-shirt, and feeling relived that he could at least touch Tracey without going straight through him. **"Okay fine, I'll go to Pallet, but we've got to meet up to…find out what the hell is going on!**"

**"Yeah good idea. Hey can angels _say_ hell?"**

**"Dunno."**

**"Okay Brock, I'll go to Cerulean. How 'bout I meet you at midnight in two days time, on top of the museum in Pewter?"**

**"Yeah cool. Why midnight?"**

**"I dunno. Makes it more exciting?" **Tracey called over his shoulder as he began to walk again. 

**"Hey how are we going to get into the place when it's all closed up for the night." **Tracey shrugged.

**"Walk through the wall?" **he grinned. **"See you then Brock!"**

**"Uggh…" **Brock sounded as Tracey disappeared behind the corner of the Fighting Dojo. Brock shuddered unhappily as he looked down at his feet. It was around noon on a bright sunny day…he had now idea what month or day it was, and could only guess at what year it was. Slowly he began to move, walking as he would if he were alive, carefully along the sidewalk, making sure not to bump into anyone subconsciously, even though it didn't matter any more. 

Misty Waterflower leant over the counter and fiddled idly with her dangly earring as she waited for her food. 

**"Marina!? Anytime now!" **she called impatiently. A weary head with half moon glasses and dark blue styled hair leant backwards so she was visible around the corner that lead to the cafés' kitchen. Misty stifled a giggle and Marina stuck her tongue out as she practically threw Misty's bowl of rice at her. **"Thank you!" **Misty teased cheerfully, as her friend disappeared into the greasy depths. 

And outside, as pressed up to the dirty window as he could without actually touching it, Tracey stood, his eyes wide as he stared, and gulped. He knew he was dead, but seeing Misty all grown up just seemed to prove it – he had been gone for five whole years. Really. Truly. He couldn't stop his shoulders from shuddering as he digested the proof, that it really wasn't a dream. 

Oh well. Work to do. Tracey waited tolerantly outside the café, as nobody seemed to want to come into or leave the small café on the gritty street in Cerulean's central district. He watched Misty eat her rice, and smiled as he saw a girl he seemed to remember from somewhere bring her out a heaped bowl of ice-cream, and saw her devour it just as she did when she was 12. Misty…he had last seen her as a geeky fifteen year old, going gaga over the latest Lorelei Tips For Training video she had seen in Trovitopolis, and arguing with Ash, who thought that Karen was much better – on what he guessed was the day he died.

Well, she wasn't scrawny anymore, but she was tall and lanky, with the same long legs that she used to curl up under her in some freaky yoga position when they all rode on Lapras. Her bright orange hair was pulled into a messy bun at the nape of her neck, and the flyaway wispy tendrils were held into place by little glittery 'butterfree clips'. Her eyes were still large and free of makeup, and her skin and face were also clear save a little shimmery lip-gloss. She wasn't _stunning_, but she was quite attractive, thought Tracey.

Shouting goodbye to Marina over her shoulder, Misty left the café as the shadows lengthened, and her hair glowed an even fiercer orange in the sunset. Tracey dutifully tailed her the short way to the Gym, and slipped in the door to avoid the coldness of having to walk through the wood. Misty dropped her keys on the nearby table with a clatter, and a young looking Eevee rushed in from another room, straight through Tracey, and chattering excitedly at the return of its mistress, went up on its back legs and bumped Misty's fingers with its head. Smiling lazily, Misty scratched its head gently with her fingernails.

**"Hey baby" **she crooned gently, before making her way across the silent residential part of the Gym, and into the kitchen. The Eevee was about to follow her, but suddenly it tensed up, and the fur on its neck shot into menacing spikes as it growled in Tracey's general direction. 

**"It can sense me…" **Tracey whispered. The Eevee squealed in fright and ran into the kitchen, tripping on its long tail and skidding across the tiles. **"And hear me apparently…" **Tracey looked around, and winced. There were a lot of photos around – some of him, some of Brock, some of the Waterflower sisters, Marina and other relatives…but in most of the pictures, jagged squares, rectangles and oblongs were hacked out – leaving in some cases only the top of a well remembered hat, the tips of fingers, the edge of a spike of black hair, or the yellow and brown tail of a Pikachu. Tracey sighed, and at that moment, Misty walked out of the kitchen with a glass of diluted sake, trying to coax her petrified Evolution Pokémon into the living room with her. Suddenly she stopped.

**"Brrrrrrrrrrr it's cold in here – it was warmer outside!" **Tracey hung his head dismally and guiltily as Misty returned from another room with a sweater and stared in astonishment at the central heating dial that was on maximum. **"Darn thing must be broken…" **she muttered, and turned around in time to see Eevee hurl itself into the air, trying to bite something. She shook her head and raised her hand to her brow. **"What is going on round here?"**

** **

** **

Brock walked into Pallet as the shadows were getting long; and he noticed with distaste that he no longer had one. He walked slowly past Professor Oak's lab, and thought of the day where he had got his hospital results; they had all been there, him, Ash, Misty, most of his brothers and sisters, the Professor, Mrs. K…Brock had convinced himself it was just a cold, that had become a virus, that was affecting him.

But the harshly typed words on the bland hospital stationary told him otherwise; _Dear Mr Slate….regret to inform you…antibodies failing…treatment to stabilise…four months to a year…dreadfully sorry…_signed some man, woman or thing he'd never heard of in his life. With Tracey's death only eighteen months earlier, this had hit them all hard, and he remembered the seventeen year old Misty fall sobbing into Ash's arms, as he cried too, and gently stroked her hair as he welcomed the scarily quiet Brock into the group hug. 

He remembered lying in the hospital bed only a few short months later…his senses were swooning and all he could focus on were the clear eyes of his friends and family; the rest of their figures were fuzzy. There was a white blur fiddling with the machine next to him. Brock felt so tired, so very tired.

**"Tired…" **he mumbled. Nearby, Misty sobbed again, and folded herself into Ash's arms, who stood solidly by the side of the bed, containing his tears.

**"Then go to sleep, Brocko…" **he whispered, as he held the shaking girl to his chest, so she wouldn't have to watch their best friend go to sleep for the last time…

Brock was woken up from his memories as he walked through a fence, and shivered violently.

**"MAN I HATE THAT!" **he yelled. A nearby Rattata stopped, and hissed at hum between its teeth before hurrying off. 

**"Oooh I wonder what got into that little Pok****émon?" **came a musical, familiar voice. Brock looked up to see Delia Ketchum holding a handful of weeds as she stared blankly at the empty road where the Rattata had been. She rose from her kneeling position, and flicked the dirt off her blue knee length skirt.

**"Mom! I'm hungry!" **came a voice from inside the pleasant Pallet cottage.

**"Coming sweetie!" **called Delia, as she hung up her straw hat and wandered into her kitchen. **"I'll get you something right away!" **

Brock walked in the open door, and then into the dark lounge, where an almost unidentifiable lump was sprawled over the sofa with a Pikachu curled up on his stomach. Brock smiled. From the looks of it, Ash had gotten a lot taller and broader. **"Can you turn the central heating up sweetie, it's gotten awfully cold all of a sudden?"**

**"Sure mom,' **said Ash, as he pushed Pikachu gently off him, and swung his legs off the sofa. Pikachu yawned, showing her sharp little teeth, before stopping and looking around wildly. Brock tensed. Pikachu raised her snout in the air, and sniffed. She stopped looking even more confused.

**"Pika-kaaaa…?" **_[Takeshi]_ she whispered slowly. Brock smiled.

**"Here Ash!" **came Delia's voice from the kitchen.

**"Oh great I'm starving!" **Ash replied. Brock wondered if he was missing his special patented 'Lazy Boy, No Chew Stew', that did them all for many a dinner during their journeys. ****

**"Eat up!" **chirped Delia. **"I made it as fast as I could for you Aaaaash!"**

**"Er that's great mom, but….why is there what looks like chopped up garden weeds in my rice?"**

** **

** **

** **


	3. There's No *I* In Team!

- Heart & Soul -

**- H**eart & **S**oul **-**

Part 3: _There's No 'I' in Team!_

_ _

** **

**"Is it just me, or does this just _smack_ of that film?"**

**"…expand." **Brock shifted and absently scratched the side of his face. There was a quick flash of sadness within him, as he noted that his cheek felt warm and well…living, but the absence of the stubble that surely would have grown by now, reassured him that he was indeed dead. And working with Tracey Sketchitt. On some bizarre mission set by some half-dressed babe with wings, who seriously couldn't make up her mind what hair colour suited her. 

**"Well," **Brock started. **"That one with the blonde chick…about the angels…she dies at the end." **Tracey looked up at him, giving him a pathetic look.

**"Gee thanks, that wasn't vague at all, and oh-so-cheering." **Brock glowered at his bandana-ed companion, and tilted his head back to look at the black and grey sky. His attention was diverted by a lone leaf twirling by, on what looked like a strong wind, but Brock couldn't feel it, and his hair and clothes remained stationary. The whole of Pewter lay at his feet, and he looked down sorrowfully at the square shaped building that had once been his Gym. 

**"So what have you learnt at Misty's?" **Brock asked the other teenager, grumpily. 

**"Nothing much," **Tracey answered, stretching out on the roof of the Pewter museum. **"She's cut his face out of all her pictures, she still lives in the Gym, she has a psychopathic Eevee that keeps trying to pee on me, and oh, the other day I saw your funeral card. And mine. It was a lovely experience," **he said bitterly, tossing back a layer of ear length dark green hair moodily. 

**_"Stop grumbling," _**snapped an angry female voice. Brock and Tracey whirled around in shock to see no one. They looked at each other warily. The voice laughed, echoing in their heads. **_"In here,"_** it mocked. **_"Don't tell me you've forgotten me already!" _**

**"C-catalia?" **asked Tracey warily, slowly reaching up to his temple with his fingers. 

**_"No, Santa," _**mocked the voice. **_"Of course it's me. How many voices *are* there in your head?"_**

**__****"Well-" **began Brock, but he was silenced by a glare from Tracey.

**"What do you want Catalia?" **he asked, half irritably, half respectfully. 

**_"Did I mention that you guys have a time limit on this little job?" _**Catalia asked sweetly. The boys groaned.

**"No." **Tracey rubbed his face with his hands in exasperation before pushing them back over his hair. **"How long?"**

**_"Probably anything from two weeks to…fifteen days?" _**she said, almost apologetically. The boys groaned again. 

**"How come Pokémon can sense us?" **Tracey asked suddenly. Catalia laughed.

**_"Sense? Haven't you figured it out yet? You can probably communicate with some of them. The smarter ones. Don't even try on a Psyduck or Slowking, you're wasting your time."_**

**__****"Eevee?" **

**"Pikachu?" **the two boys asked. There was a small silence.

**_"Pikachu…probably. Especially if it spent a lot of time with you when you were alive. But…I've never heard of an angelic messenger being able to communicate with an Eevee…" _**she answered. **_"Maybe it's a special case? Anyway, that's all I can give you for now, good luck! Ja né! Um…have a…groovy time guys!"_**

**__**Then the patch in their heads that had felt unusually warm was gone, and the boys were left with nothing but headaches and a horrible feeling of being totally violated. Brock quirked an eyebrow at Tracey.

**"Groovy time? When _was_ the last time she came to Earth??" **he laughed. Tracey didn't respond; he was staring down at the considerable drop from the roof to the grassy ground below. **"W-what are you thinking about Trace?" **asked Brock warily.

**"I'm just wondering…whether we should try jumping down…" **murmured Tracey, turning his dark, dark green eyes onto Brock. **"I mean…it's not exactly gonna hurt us is it? I mean, we're dead. Doesn't get any worse than this does it?" **Brock nodded, then smiled.

**"As long as you try it first!" **Tracey made a face.

**"Oh brave Gym Leader, your courage shines through," **he murmured sarcastically as he sized up the drop again, before taking a deep breath. **"Okay, here we go…" **

Tracey walked slowly to the ridge edge, before halting, sweatdropping.

**"How do I do this? Do I run off? Jump? Walk off?" **Brock shrugged.

**"I dunno, I don't really jump off museum roofs for fun Tracey." **Tracey took another deep breath, and fidgeted with his feet, as half of them were hanging over the edge, and his heels were safely on the roof itself. Gritting his teeth, Tracey simply let himself teeter off the edge. He felt nothing. Slowly he opened his eyes, and screamed as he saw the ground coming at him very fast, even though he couldn't feel any breeze on his face at all. 

Then…everything froze. The ground stopped coming towards him, and the roaring in his ears and Brock's panicked voice stopped. Nervously, Tracey spun himself around, so his feet were pointing to the ground rather than his head.

**_"Idiot," _**came an accusing voice. 

**"Catalia help me!" **he yelled, panicked. **"What's going on!?" **

**_"Listen, just because you're dead doesn't mean you can't feel pain," _**Catalia said softly. **_"It's how you can feel cold when you pass through something biological, or how you have sad feelings when you think about the fact that you're dead. You still have feelings."_**

**__**Tracey started hyperventilating. 

**"So I'm gonna hit this ground, and feel it exactly like I would if I was alive?" **he asked, incredulously.

**_"No, not exactly," _**Catalia answered. **_"It would only hurt for a few minutes, like a Beedrill sting, but it would still hurt."_**

**__****"Help!" **Tracey repeated again, helplessly, unable to keep his eyes off the ground below him.

**_"Open your wings silly," _**Catalia yawned. **_"You're an angel, use your wings!"_**

**__****"What wings??" **Tracey yelled, indicating his flat back. There was silence for a minute, then a weird itching sensation on his back, right underneath where his shoulder blades stuck out. 

**_"Those wings…ja!" _**_The sensation in his head was gone, and the world began moving slowly again. _

__**"Help!!" **screeched Tracey. **"How do I turn these things on??" **Slowly, two dusty pink coloured feathers slipped through his skin, and tee shirt without making a mark. These were followed by another pair, and another until Tracey had a set of shimmery, transparent pink feather-wings, and glided to the ground, where he met a pale Brock, who had run down the stairs.

**"What just ha-" **Brock began, before taking note of his companion's rather feminine wings, and sniggered.

**"Oh I hope yours are yellow," **Tracey said bitterly, before turning his attention to these bizarre new extensions to his body. They remained still, ruffling slightly in the wind; the only part of him that did. **"I'm flying back to Cerulean then," **he said smugly. **"Guess you're walking Brock!" **

**"I'd rather walk from Olivine Port to Lavender Town than fly on those things!" **laughed Brock. **"I _swear_ I've seen a pair of girly knickers that look exactly like them!" **he chuckled.

**"Well I very much doubt you've seen _any_ girly knickers at all, apart from the ones in your wardrobe that you wear on Saturday nights," **cut back Tracey, glowering as he was strangely proud of his wings. 

**"Cuh, forget you," **Brock said in a disgusted voice. **"I'm off back to Pallet."**

****Tracey grunted, and turned his back on the taller, spiky-haired boy. Before he knew it, he was left alone in the garden of the Pewter City Science Museum. Hesitantly, he reached out and brushed his finger tip against one of the feathers. It felt smooth under his finger, and it sent little waves of impulse down to his nerves - it was part of his body alright. 

Tracey sighed, and his shoulders shuddered, the feathers making rustling noises as they rubbed against each other. 

**"Now…" **he murmured. **"…How do I flap these things?" **Suddenly, his back felt like it was on fire, and the feathers slipped back into his back, making him yelp, and leaving him with a serious backache, and a long way to walk. 

_ _

_ _


	4. Inescapable You

Heart & Soul

**H**eart & **S**oul

Part 4: Inescapable You

**"Jeez it's so COLD!" **yelled the red-head upon her entry. This eerily familiar early-morning roust startled Tracey, who had finally taken to a form of 'sleep', sitting straight upwards on the floor. Baby, the Eevee, pattered in after Misty, yawning and rubbing her nose cutely with her paw. 

**"Heeeeeeeeere Eevee, Eevee, Eevee…" **smirked Tracey, as the traumatised Pokémon yipped in fear and ran into the kitchen after her mistress. Misty scooped the Pokémon up, and held her away from her, trying to prevent the white and brown hairs from landing on her smart black dress-suit. 

**"I've gotta go away for a few days Baby," **Misty cooed sickeningly to the Eevee, as Tracey's ears pricked up. **"Some big GymLeader… thing." **Baby whined pathetically. **"Aw I'm sorry sweetie, I tried to get Vi to go, I really did… So you'll just have to stay with Auntie Marina for a few days, okay?"**

** **

Without warning, Baby was engulfed with a pearly white light, and Misty almost dropped her in fright. Tracey's eyes grew wide, as the irreproachable urge to sketch washed over him. Baby grew longer and her small cuddly figure turned slender. Her bushy tail thinned and forked at the end, and a red jewel materialised on her forehead. 

Misty gasped as she slowly lowered the glowing Pokémon to the floor, as the pearly aura began to fade to reveal sleek purple fur.

**"Hey cool!" **grinned Tracey, from where he was standing. **"A Happiness Evolution!" **He cowered back as Baby the Espeon suddenly turned and glowered at him menacingly. 

**"Oh wow! Congratulations Baby!" **cried Misty, clapping her hands together. **"You've reached your Happiness Quota! I'd better… better… ring Marina and tell her to pick up a bigger bed…"**

** **

Tracey sweatdropped as Misty left the room, and the Espeon advanced on him in a predator fashion. 

**"Hey Baby," **he murmured, backing away.

**"Hello yourself, darling," **purred the Espeon in a familiar voice.

**"Catalia!? What are you- when did you – what did you do with the Eevee?" **Tracey spluttered.

**"That yippy over-grown rodent?"**

** **

**"Well, technically, Eevee aren't rod-" **Tracey halted as the regal looking Psychic Pokémon/Fate Angel shot him a reproachful look from her perch on the sofa.

**"She's fine. I just grasped my opportunity to use her as a vessel when she decided to evolve," **yawned Catalia, retracting her claws in a bored fashion. **"You and rock-boy aren't doing too well, and well mister, it's my halo on the line with this."**

** **

**"You'd better be careful around Misty though, she's quick. She'll guess if something's up." **The two were startled as Misty rushed into the room, stubbing her toe on the doorframe, and yelling something about her keys.

**"This is the mother of the legendary Rose Ketchum?" **blinked Catalia, smirking to herself. **"She must get her brains from her father's side!"**

** **

**"I wouldn't bet on that," **Tracey answered, as his dark eyes followed the slim red-head on her quest for her car-keys.

**"Ash is going to be at this meeting," **Catalia purred, stretching out on the couch cushions. **"It's the first time they've seen each other in over two years." **Tracey chewed his lip thoughtfully. **"Make sure it counts."**

** **

**"But they can't even see us! How are we supposed to do anything!" **Catalia laughed – a strange guttural sound coming from an Espeon.

**"Ugh, newbies," **she smirked. **"You and Brock each have… for lack of a better word… a miracle at your disposal. A divine act, that you can use, as long as you have the strength to support it and any effects that come to pass as a result."**

** **

**"And we use this HOW exactly?"**

** **

**"Jeez I dunno. Make something heavy fall on her just as he comes past?"**

** **

**"Now, I mean how to we use our miracles?"**

** **

**"They'll come from inside when you truly feel that they are needed," **Catalia murmured, mysteriously. **"Now you go with her, and you MAKE SURE that Misty Kasumi Waterflower and Ashton Satoshi Ketchum are never apart from each other again!"**

** **

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

It hadn't taken very long for Tracey to spot Brock in the throng of suits in the hotel lobby. It also unnerved him to see that Brock seemed to glow with a sort of eccentrically yellow aura. He left Misty where she was forcibly chatting with the new Fuchsia GymLeader, Janine, and downing more alcohol than he knew was good for her.

Growling in exasperation, Tracey pulled Brock up by the collar, and he yelped with surprise.

**"And now would you like to explain WHY you were lying face up on the floor in the _very _area where Sabrina, Karen and Clair were having a chat?" **Brock smiled nervously, and twiddled his fingers. Tracey sighed in disgust and let go of him. **"Eechi," **he mumbled.

After a quick re-telling of that mornings events, it became apparent to Tracey that Brock had absolutely NO idea where Ash was, having been separated from him earlier on in the evening. Tracey slapped Brock around the head, causing him to yelp, and pale lemon wings shoot out of his shoulder blades as a reflex, causing Tracey to leapt backwards in fright. Brock sweatdropped sheepishly.

**"Ah yeah – that happened earlier…" **Tracey raised his eyebrow as he eased his dusty pink wings out, and they both elevated upwards, to hover above the crowd – both looking for a head of spiky black hair.

And they found it.

Right next to a head of flaming red hair.

Brock looked sideways at Tracey, apprehensively tapping his teeth together.

**"Aaaaaaaand now what?"**

** **

The angels hovered gently over to where their 'assignments' were locked in a deathly slanging match. Whitney looked like she was enjoying it immensely, and was goading both parties on – while Erika looked as if she were about to faint, and had never heard so many profanities in her life.

**"You BASTARD!" **screamed Misty, whose face was as red as her hair.

**"I never want to be near or have anything to do with YOU again, MISS WATERFLOWER!" **sneered Ash. 

**"Maybe you two should fight in here," **gulped Will, as a very stern looking Lance entered the room, his cape swishing ominously. He pushed them into the empty room where the GymLeaders and League representatives would be eating later on that night, and Tracey and Brock followed.

**"I HATE YOU!"**spluttered Misty, as Tracey watched and sighed.

**"If I weren't a gentleman, I'd SLAP you!" **threatened Ash, as Brock shook his head. 

**"I'm leaving, GOODBYE FOREVER!" **grumbled Misty as she reached for the door.

**"Ooooh! That's not good!" **yelped Brock and Tracey in unison. Tracey grinned mischievously.

**"What dya say, old friend?" **he grinned.

**"I say… two miracles! Comin' up!" **laughed Brock, as the small room filled with a swirling, tie-dye pattern of pink and yellow. Misty and Ash both yelped, and grabbed each others hand.

**"I wish that they have to stay together – until they realise that they can't live without each other…" **murmured Tracey, from where he fluttered overhead.

**"I wish that they could communicate with u-" **began Brock.

**"NO! Brock that's not allowed!"** yelled Tracey, frantically. But it was too late. The unearthly glow sucked in on itself, and Ash and Misty went flying to separate sides of the room. Everything went back to normal, and Tracey let out a shuddering breath as he gently landed on the ground.

From across the room, Ash was stirring, from where he had hit his head against the wall. Tracey watched curiously, as Ash's eyes fluttered open. Tracey gasped; they were green. Before he could alert Brock, they faded back to dark brown, and Ash clambered delicately to his feet. 

Misty lifted an arm jerkily, and moaned as she touched the back of her head. Curiously, Brock and Tracey watched as she slowly opened her eyes.

Her deep brown eyes, that gently faded to green.

**"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" **came a feminine scream from Ash's direction. Misty jumped up.

**"What-what…. WHAAAAAAAAAA?"**

** **

Tracey and Brock groaned. 

**"Ashton Ketchum get outta my body RIGHT NOW!" **screeched Ash, running over and grabbing Misty violently.

**"Me? What about YOU!? Did you slip hallucinogens in my drink?" **questioned 'Misty', suspiciously.

**"NO!" **wailed 'Ash', wringing his fingers in a way Misty did so often. **"What happened? Who did this?!"**

** **

**"Er, guys?" **Tracey tested, quietly. Both people turned at the sound of his voice.

**"Holy Ho-oh…" **breathed 'Misty', as 'Ash's' eyes grew huge with fear.

**"We're sorry…" **mumbled both Tracey and Brock dejectedly.

[NOTE: They are hereafter referred to by their names, but they are still in each others body]** **

** **

"Okay, I'm in Ash's body, and my two dead best friends are standing, in the middle of a hotel luncheon room, with wings…" hyperventilated Misty. "This is officially the WORST day I have EVER had! I didn't have _that _much to drink!" she whined pathetically. 

"Why are you here? Why are you doing this to us?" Ash asked quietly. Brock went to speak, but Tracey silenced him.

"We can't tell you Ash," he said kindly. "You have to figure it out for yourselves…"

"Aw man this sucks," mumbled Ash, kicking at the floor with his girly legs. "But it's great seeing you guys again – what are you – our guardian angels?"

"Yeah, kinda," smiled Brock. "It's great to see you two as well. Hey Misty, aren't we the babe now!"

"Careful Brock, you're referring to Ash now," Misty smirked, half-bitterly. 

"I have to give a speech later! I can't do that in Misty's body!" whined Ash. Tracey shrugged.

"You'll have to teach it to her – you two will have to learn to get along again. No one must know that you two aren't who you seem to be." Ash and Misty nodded slowly.

"This is so weird," Misty murmured, looking down at her new apparel. She turned to glare at 'herself'. "And Ketchum, if you remove ONE piece of clothing…"

"Yeah, yeah," sneered Ash. Suddenly, he looked horror-stricken.

"Um, hey Myst…erm, Misty, you…you don't have your period any time soon – do ya?" he asked, hesitantly. Misty grinned, schemingly, and Ash glowered at her. "I can't believe you have to be me – you're still the same brainless cow you were at the-" his voice trailed off as Misty waved a mallet threateningly at 'her' crotch.

"Take that back or I _swear_ you will never father a child." Tracey and Brock gulped.

"NO!" they squealed, as they dived for the mallet.


	5. Anything You Can Do... I Can Go One Bett...

Aaaaand the big-time musical star returns fresh from the dressing rooms after an interesting conversation with Mia

Aaaaand the big-time musical star returns fresh from the dressing rooms after an interesting conversation with Mia. She put me in this mood – blame her.

Note: They're in each others bodies now, so whenever I say: "Ash said" it means that Ash in Misty's body is saying it, not Misty in Ash's body.

-+-

**H**eart & **S**oul

Part Five: Anything You Can Do… I Can Go One Better!

-+-

Misty tugged 'herself' up for the fourth time down the short corridor.

**"Jeez Ash, they're stilettos, not anti-gravity boots!" **she tried to screech in her new deep voice at the scowling redhead.

**"I'm not used to it," **Ash growled. **"There's the heels to deal with, and this long hair getting in my face, things bumping up and down, and these tights are totally riding up!"**

** **

**"I'd hit you," **Misty murmured in reply as she looked cautiously around the empty corridor. **"But I don't wanna mark my beautiful face." **Ash stuck his tongue out as he rolled his eyes, but refrained from commenting as a large group of League officials ambled past. 

**"Oh, Mr Ketchum?" **piped up one from behind a bushy moustache.

**"Yes?" **answered Ash, before feeling a cold chill rush over him, shutting him up

**"Uh, y-yes?" **stammered Misty, smiling through clenched lips at the official, who regarded her strangely. 

**"I was wondering if you could give me a brief outline of your speech today?" **Misty paled.

**"I- er, that is I- I'm afraid that ah, that's… classified information," **she babbled, shooting looks to the haughty 'girl' beside her.

**"Maybe I can help," **sounded Ash suddenly, lowering his girlish voice to a seductive tone. Misty shot him a glare. **"I'm Misty Waterflower – Ash's personal assistant. His speech is going to be on the construction on the north-west section of the Safari Park. He has reason to believe that a herd of Kangaskhan does are currently in their 'pregnancy hibernation' there, and mustn't be disturbed."**

** **

**"Thank you, miss," **purred the old man, reaching out and kissing Ash's hand. Misty watched in shock, as Ash in her body moved his leg so her respectable skirt suit rode up, and simpered as the lecherous old man drooled all over his hand.

**"I'm in room 25," **Ash said suddenly, loud enough for everyone in the corridor to hear. **"Maybe we can continue our… discussion… later tonight, huh?" **The old man's eyes widened, as he nodded and babbled in a way that reminded Misty of a younger Brock. He then acquired a nosebleed, and excused himself, leaving a fuming Misty and a smirking Ash alone in the corridor once more.

**"I hate you," **spat Misty, folding her arms against her broad chest. **"Now everyone is this hotel is going to think I'm some kinda easy hooker!"**

** **

**"Oh, don't you want them to know? My mistake," **feigned Ash, trying to keep the grin off his face. 

**"Stay the hell away from me Ketchum," **spat Misty, as she began to stride furiously down the hall.

**"Don't look in the mirror then!" **called Ash as she moved further away from him, and she clenched her fists in anger. 

Now again unbeknownst to them, Brock and Tracey stood dismally in the corridor. 

**"Is it possible for angels to have headaches?" **whined Tracey.

**"Okay you go with her, I'll go with him," sighed Brock. ****"No wait, you go with him now, and I go with the her… cos Ash is a her… or is he a he? Or do we swap people entirely now?" **

**"And the source of my headache is you" snapped Tracey, as he pushed a confused Brock in the direction Ash was ambling, winking at every male he saw and wiggling his hips. **

-+-

Ash sat in the tartiest thing he could find in Clair's wardrobe, on a table full of drooling men. He found flirting with men hilarious – but never paused to wonder if that was how he acted when a girl flirted with him. He was startled from his reverie by a chorus of whoops and catcalls.

**"What's up?" he asked Morty.**

**"The Pok****é****mon Master's streaking!" the GymLeader replied, nervously biting his lip. Ash's eyes momentarily fluttered closed.**

Misty sauntered in, completely calm and completely naked, followed by a chain of besotted and bemused women. Ash raised to meet her, blushing horribly, as it was his body on show to all the Pokémon elites in the world here. 

**"M-Ash! What do you think you're doing?"**

** **

**"Calm down, Misty," Misty smirked. ****"There's nothing to be excited about. No really, look at how small it is – nothing at all to get excited about."**

** **

A levitating and unseen Brock was laughing so hard, if it had been possible to wet his pants, he would have.

Ash set his teeth and growled as all the females in the room began to giggle, and the men to arch their eyebrows. 

**"Oh yeah?" he retorted, reaching for the zip to the tight leather top he was wearing. A few manoeuvres later, and he was standing there in a leather miniskirt and standard white and lacy bra. There were assorted calls of 'wayhey' and the like from the male occupants of the room, but Misty shrugged off the resulting light blush quickly.**

**"Nice tits Misty," she bluffed, staring him straight in the eyes. He smirked back.**

**"You ain't seen nothin' yet," he grinned, as he struggled with the metal clip at the back of the bra, before it fluttered to the floor. Misty closed her eyes momentarily in horror.**

**"This is the best Elite convention ever!" whooped a delighted Rudy. Ash on the other hand, was staring down at 'himself' in horror.**

**"Woah…" he breathed. ****"These seemed smaller in that yellow tank top thing…"**

** **

**"Okay, show's over folks!" babbled Misty, grabbing the entranced Ash by the shoulders and pushing them out of the room, to a hearty round of applause. **

**"Truce?" she asked, as she roughly clipped her bra back onto Ash, as they made a dash to the lift.**

**"On the nudity thing," Ash replied, tossing the leather top to Misty, so she could hide his crotch.**

**"Kay," Misty replied as she surveyed the top with distain. ****"Lemme guess – either Clair's or Courtney's?"**

** **

**"Clair's," Ash answered, as they stepped into the lift. ****"Hey, Misty?" Misty's finger halted in front of the button. ****"It's not… _that_ small is it?" Misty sighed heavily, and jabbed the button to take her up to her floor.**

-+-

**"Hey!" literally barked a voice, as Tracey and Brock sat up in alarm. Misty was laying on her stomach on the large bed watching a Ranma ½ movie (for tips) on the hotel room television, and Ash was downstairs at Reception, trying to see if 'Misty Waterflower' could swap to the room adjoining 'Ashton Ketchum's'. **

A slender, purple paw beckoned from the adjoining en suite, and cautiously, the two angels floated over. Catalia-the-Espeon surveyed them a second, before jumping up to balance on the sink so she was more eye level.

**"Catalia! What are you doing here?" asked Tracey.**

**"Have divinity, will travel," the sleek Psychic Pokémon shrugged. ****I'm not pleased with the use of Brock's miracle, and I made it void, which is why they can't see you anymore. Luckily, no one higher than me found out."**

** **

**"I thought God could see everything?" Brock asked curiously. Catalia made a scoffing sound.**

"Trust me, being omni-present is waaaaaay over-rated. Anyway… guess who's running out of time?" she grinned, showing rows of sharp, fox-like teeth. Tracey and Brock groaned.

**"Yeah, yeah, point taken," **murmured Tracey.

**"They've seen each others bits at least?" **pointed out Brock, hopefully, before being silenced by two condescending looks.

-+-

**"Aaaaaaaaash!" **Misty pounded on the door. **"I don't remember giving you permission to have a bath in my body!" **Ash whimpered from behind the locked door.

**"Believe me, it was necessary..." **

** **

**"What – did – you – do!?" **she yelled, pounding the door on each word. There was a mumble from inside. **"Whaaaaat?"**

** **

**"I peed on myself…"**

** **

**"You WHAT? How the HELL did that happen?"**

** **

**"I tried to go standing up…"**

** **

Misty gave an exasperated sigh, and flopped back onto the bed, staring sadly at her hairy knuckles. I haaaaaaate this body, she whined to herself. I hate being in it. It's dirty, and smelly, and clumsy… and I hate Ash being in MY body even more. 

Of all the people I had to be body-swapped with… the one person I swore I'd never speak to again without the use of a swearword.

Okay, Brock and Tracey… the floating angels… had said that she and Ash …the guy she now hated but used to be best friends with… had to work out why they had to stay together. She would have thought it was a dream, but she knew from movie experience that whenever the heroine thinks that it's a dream – it's not.

She looked up as Ash wandered out of the bathroom, followed by a cloud of steam, rubbing his orange hair with a towel whilst trying to keep the towel covering his body up. Misty sighed.

**"Ash, it's my body – it doesn't matter if you drop the towel." **Ash grinned bashfully, and sat down on the edge of the bed to vigorously towel dry his hair. **"Noooooo," **Misty wailed. **"You'll give me split ends!" **

** **

**"You do it then!" **snapped back Ash, throwing the towel and hairbrush at Misty.

**"Fine I will," **she replied, crawling over the bed towards him, and starting work on the hair.

From a distance, Tracey stood watching them fondly, with a blush over the bridge of his nose. They looked so cute, and… hot. Um. 

Well, Tracey thought, I haven't exactly seen many naked women, and I won't be getting any in Heaven, and Brock is asleep, so I may as well enjoy the view, and try to forget that it's really Ash in there…

Tracey jumped as he felt warm fingers trail down the side of his face, and he whirled around to be confronted by a shadowy, female figure.

**"C-Catalia?" **he stuttered, questioningly. The woman laughed, a sound like a bell, and she stepped out of the makeshift shadow. She looked of Chinese ethnic, and sported a pair of red wings – the difference between hers and Catalia's being that hers were long enough to sweep the floor. She had short black hair, and wore a white dress that ended severely at her knees.

**"Close. I am Catisha. I'm a - ah, _higher_ ranking Fate Angel…"**

** **

**"I thought Catalia was the only Fate An-"**

** **

**"You were wrong," **Catisha interrupted, before linking her arm with his, making him sweatdrop profusely. **"She's very pretty isn't she? She'd be the perfect girlfriend…" **Tracey nodded.

-+-

**"Well, what a surprise to see you two together," **came a familiar, sneering voice from above, and both Ash and Misty looked up in dread. Gary Oak slid into the restaurant booth next to Ash, who recoiled backwards in repulsion.

**"Hello Gary," **murmured Misty, quickly uncrossing her legs as she realised what she had been doing. Gary ignored her.

**"Well Misty," **he crooned in his nasal voice, leaning in closer to a horrified Ash. **"Seems you've grown quite the little figure…" **Ash squeaked a reply. **"How about a walk on the terrace?" **Gary enquired.

**"I er, I mean I, um, I… why not..?" **Ash sighed in resignation. 

**"Come on then," **Gary said, standing up and extending his arm to Ash, who hesitantly latched on to it. **"See ya later, Ashy-boy," **he sneeringly directed at Misty.

**"You too Gary-girl," **Misty replied coolly, with a friendly smile, as Gary blinked and Ash smothered a giggle. 

**"So, why are you talking to His Loserness again?"** Gary sniggered as soon as the two were alone on the moonlit terrace. Ash grunted.

**"Ash is not a loser! He's wonderful, talented, funny, smart and GREAT in bed- so I've heard," **Ash retorted in defence. 

**"Heard from who!?" **laughed Gary. **"I doubt the only girl who's been in Ketchum's bed is you – when you used to stay at the house in Pallet!" **Ash growled to himself. **"But enough about Ash's bed…" **Gary said, suddenly coming to a stop. **"How would you like to see mine?"**

** **

Before Ash could make a move, Gary's lips pressed down roughly on his, awakening a whole new level of nausea. Damn girly arms, Ash panicked, as he tried unsuccessfully to get the newly appointed Viridian GymLeader off him. 

He saw Misty coming towards them, with a look of disgust on 'his' face. Almost hesitantly, Misty pulled Gary roughly off Ash, and threw him to the ground.

**"Misty!" **she commanded, and Ash looked up, panting for breath and wanting to retch. **"Go and brush your teeth until you run out of toothpaste!" **Ash nodded and practically ran off. Gary staggered to his feet.

**"Jesus Ketchum, what's your problem?" **he spat menacingly. Misty stopped for a second.

**"I just… don't like you kissing her!" **Gary raised his eyebrow, and one of the sides of his mouth curled upwards in a grin.

**"I get it! It's a secret, sordid love affair! Well come tomorrow, it won't be so secret!" **Misty stared at him in disgust, then turned to walk away. 

Brock sighed; oh well, this could only help them. He wasn't so worried about Ash and Misty as such – he was more worried about the fact that he couldn't find Tracey. Anywhere. 

-+-

Lookie – there's the box, right there! Why don't you write something nice in it and click Submit Review? [Click!! You know you want to...][1]

   [1]: http://www.envy.nu/naniga/



	6. You Think You Have It Bad?

Contrary to popular belief, HaS will not last for much longer. I give it about 3 small sized chapters. I wanna end it at 10. It's such a nice number. It was originally supposed to only be 2 parts, but I got carried away ^^;

Oh and please don't get offended if you ah, think my depictions of Heaven etc are a little.. . weird. This whole fic is bizarre anyway.

--+--

**H**eart & **S**oul

_Chp 6 – You Think *You* Got It Bad?_

--+--

She drummed her fingers against the water – suspended hard against her fingers like crystal glass. As soon as the unnatural presence of her fingertips was removed, the water flowed again – the ripples twisted and elongated. 

          Snapping her wrist, Catisha gathered a few drops of the luke-warm liquid into her palm. Instantly, the water beads hardened into miniature opal stones; with a further flick of her wrist, they distorted into a small, closed rose bud.

          **"Master, I keep your future bold,**

**            I place my seed in this boy's soul.**

**            With love his eyes, with lust his sword,**

**            He shall keep your future bold, good lord."**

Catisha spread her hand out, and the bud opened slowly – the velvety, blue-hued petals pirouetting from the centre with rhythm. When it seemed it could open no more, the small flower head melted back into water, and dripped free between the Angel's fingers to the dark, cobbled floor. 

          Catisha's pretty face relaxed, and she licked the remaining moisture off her palm. Turning away from the lone fountain, she moved her palm purposely in a circle, conjuring up a blurry image of coloured smoke. The apparition stunk of sulphur, but Catisha seemed to be able to see her desired image of the everlasting soul of Tracey Sketchitt.

          **"Was life a myth, or just a dream?**

**            Your lives are never as they seem.**

**            Do they control you, or do we?**

**            Are you what we pull you to be?**

**            Pure soul, from you I do beseech**

**            A life that was lead beyond His reach**

**            I return your heart, long since dead,**

**            Accept the voice inside your head.**

**            Reach out with dead emotion, to the wall**

**            A world where Angels all too easily fall."**

--+--

**"Ash."**

**"Mmm?" **replied the half asleep figure beside her on the bed.

**"The convention is over tomorrow."**

**"So?" **yawned Ash, as he brushed a strand of orange hair away from his closed eyes.

**"So then what? We can't exactly go back to our homes and our separate lives when to all extent and purposes, we _are each other!" _**snapped Misty, pulling her new hefty frame upwards so she could whack her actual body awake.

**"Watch it Myst!" **he complained, scratching his pouting bottom lip. **"You hit hard in my body!"**

**"I hit hard in MY body too," **she said grimly, watching Ash yawn and stretch out _her_ body, and then scratch her stomach a little too high up for her comfort. 

Brock watched the two lazily squabbling from where he semi-levitated by the back wall; unlike their excessive fights from only a few days ago, the pair had thankfully returned back to the monotonous bickering of their childhoods. Suddenly he blinked, and fell to the carpet, the absence of a loud thud and throbbing in his heels reminding him once again that he was past-tense. 

**"Idiot…" **grumbled the Espeon peering in from the slightly open walk-in-wardrobe, lifting one slender violet paw. 

**"Baby!" **Brock squealed in delight, gliding into the cupboard. 

**"That's not my name and you know it," **the vessel of the Fate Angel yawned.

"Jeez Catalia, you're not as polite as you were at fir-" 

**"Shut up and listen," **Catalia (literally) barked. Brock almost lost his afterlife in fright as an image of the Angel's true form shot forward from the Espeon's red jewel. Brock sweatdropped as Catalia stood in front of him, her hair and eyes the same hue as an Espeon's coat, and wearing a scarily fashionable red blouse and violet skirt. Her small silver wings spread blissfully to either side of her, and a random halo appeared and hung itself jauntily around her head.

"Nice show-" 

**"This is a divine warning!" **Catalia began dramatically, throwing her arm to the side to emphasise her point. **"You must keep Tracey from temptation!" **she moaned, rolling her head from side to side. Brock sweatdropped profusely. 

**"And what exactly is going to tempt him?" **Catalia stared at Brock, helplessly.

**"You'd be surprised…" **she said mournfully in a tone that made her sound like she knew more than she was letting on. **"Listen to the voices inside your head," **she added, almost as an after-thought, as the projection seemed to slowly sink back inside the Espeon body. **"But Brock…"**

**"What?" **Catalia bit her lip, the last facial expression visible before her countenance softened away into air. 

**"Not all Angels are good."**

-+-

Tracey sat moodily on top of the bureau, not even finding amusement in the sight of the lanky Pokémon Master lying on 'his' front on the bed, with his short scruffy hair in a towel-turban, reading a beauty magazine and eating chocolates. Brock was ignoring him; stared straight through him earlier – even when Tracey had yelled his loudest about Catisha, the new Fate Angel guarding them, Brock had totally disregarded him. 

          Ash and Misty were forced to hide out in the hotel suites for as long as possible. They didn't know WHAT rumour Gary had spread, but the entire Symposium had taken it in turn to ruffle Misty's hair with a general chorus of 'Ketchum, you ol' dog!'. Ash on the other hand, had ingested more girly tittering and 'wink, wink – nudge, nudge' sessions than he felt was healthy. Back in the hotel room, they had each violently professed the other's true gender to be stupid, and separated. 

          Tracey jumped as 'Ash' let out a girlish giggle and flipped the glossy page. It was really strange to think that it was really Misty inside the outer bulk – even for him, the dead guy. The dead guy with pink wings. Tired of nothing, Tracey indulged in a little reminiscing; after all, the only thing he had now was the past. 

_Don't let Tracey get tempted…_ well, doing as the Angel said might have been a lot easier if he knew where the heaven Sketchitt was! It was quite out of character for him to leave a job unfinished.

          Brock looked around the room, empty except for Misty's body – namely Ash. He felt nervous – he had to keep flitting between the two, since Tracey was obviously not taking his job of watching over Misty seriously. Brock was now reaching the stage of utter confusion, what with Catalia's encrypted and ominous warnings, and Tracey's haunting absence since the night before…

          Brock sighed. Why couldn't he rest in peace already?? The afterlife was seriously screwed up.

**"Hey, what are you doing?" **Misty asked in her gravely voice, pushing open the door that adjoined their hotel rooms. Ash grinned and waved a fork in her direction. 

          **"Mlo," **he managed between mouthfuls. Misty arched her eyebrow as she sat down at the small table opposite her body.

          **"Wh…at are you eating?" **she faltered, staring down in disgust at the brownish-red mess on the plate. Ash stared at her like she was stupid.

          **"It's curry," **he said slowly for emphasis, forking yet more into his mouth, in some inane, desperate ploy to salvage his tattered masculinity by eating the hottest curry he could find. Misty blinked. Then shrieked.

          **"AAAAAAAAAAIE THAT'S MY STOMACH YOU'RE RUINING!" **she cried in fury, yanking the plate away in horror, and plucking the laden fork from the bemused Ash's fingers. **"YOU are going on a Detox Diet!" **she continued, dragging Ash's slight form from the chair and prodding him out of the door. **"And getting on a TreadMaster, pronto!"**

**            "Aie-aie-aie-at least take off the turban!" **Ash whimpered as he was ushered towards the Gym. And not the kind of Gym he liked…

--+--

**"Ash, I think we should see a doctor," **Misty said, resting her chin on the handles of a stationary exercise machine, watching Ash work her body to exhaustion on the parallel TreadMaster. Ash looked annoyed.

          **"W-what, y-you don't th-think I can h-handle it?" **he wheezed, running his arm across his sopping wet forehead. **"I tell ya I could go for twice this long at twice this speed!" **

**            "No, I was actually referring to the fact that we're living in each others bodies," **Misty said coolly, regarding her new chipped and square nails and grimacing. 

**"B-but Brock and Tah-racey said we c-could manage it," **Ash wheezed, his scrawny legs heading towards failure. Misty pouted and yanked a lock of her black hair childishly.

"Ash, it's not natural-" 

**"No shit," **Ash snorted, trying to calculate how much longer he could last without slipping on the river of sweat he had managed to work up, and in the end, turning the dial down to the slowest speed. **"But I trust the guys that we can deal with this. What did Trace say? He said we have to find out for ourselves. So… let's find out."**

From across the room Tracey stared, almost perversely entranced by the definite _jiggling_ occurring as Ash's worked the exercise machine. In turn, Brock seemed to be staring straight at Tracey, unnerving him.

**"Whaaaaaat?" **he hissed in Brock's general direction, but the former Gym Leader totally ignored him again, and continued to stare straight through him, in a bored fashion. Tracey folded his arms irritably and his wings shot out of his back in the reflex. He wondered to himself if the crazed feeling that he just had to PUNCH someone was suited to an Angel.

But Tracey wasn't feelin' too good, if that was possible. He had headaches, and he guessed the fact he was dead was definitely settling in, as he had begun to pine after his life more than he had before. The fact that Brock was utterly ignoring him for no apparent reason didn't help matters one bit.

**"Well okay then Ash…" **Misty said slowly, reaching over and hitting the shut down button (much to Ash's relief) with her large hand. **"I think that we should talk." **Ash arched his eyebrows, warily.

"Talk about what exactly?" 

**"About… why we…" **Misty began, turning her soulful brown eyes onto Ash, and startling him as he realised that he could easily see features of Misty appearing on his own face. He shuddered and dabbed his face with a nearby towel.

**"About how you were a total and utterly unforgivable bitch?" **he asked airily, and Misty leapt from her sitting position in a flurry.

**"ME!?" **she squealed, **"it was YOUR fault! And it shows JUST where you value your friends in the scheme of things!" **Ash flinched, but turned to glower.

"It's where I valued YOU! I still can't believe I spent so much of my life letting you TAG ALONG BEHIND ME!" Ash spat. Misty's eyes opened wide, and Ash was startled as they seemed to glaze over the colour teal for a moment, before reverting to brown. Misty's hands were raised up by her face, and for a second they clenched into fists, before opening again weakly and beginning to tremble. 

          Realising how much that had hurt her, Ash sighed.

          **"Look, Misty, I-"**

**            "No, no… that's fine," **Misty murmured, turning on her heel and walking out of the Gym. Ash sighed and sat down on a rowing machine, hanging his head between his knees and clasping his hands together.

          **"Smooooth," **Tracey muttered, then started backwards as Brock's head snapped in his direction and his mouth hung open.

          **"Tracey? Where the hell have you been?!" **he yelled, confusing Tracey tremendously.

          **"Right behind you?" **he answered, tensely raising an eyebrow. Brock's face twisted into disgust, and he took a step backwards.

          **"Man there is something really wrong with your wings…" **he ventured, and Tracey turned his head to look. They looked no different to him – well, okay… maybe a shade darker than usual but what did it matter? **"Can't you see them?" **Brock urged as Tracey sent him a confused look, **"you've got all these… pointy… red crystals poking out… everywhere!" **Tracey looked again, startled, but still could see nothing.

          **"Stop being stupid," **he spat, suddenly vehement, reaching out and giving Brock a harsh push to the floor. Brock yelled in pain – where Tracey's hands had come in contact with his chest, even through his clothing, Brock felt searing burns that seemed to infiltrate straight through to every nerve in the region. When the pain subsided enough for him to pull himself up, Tracey was gone.

--+--

Brock literally flew to the hotel room, totally bypassing the sobbing Misty who had locked herself in her bathroom and looked around frantically.

          **"Yo, Baby! Cat? Catalia?" **he called, spinning around mid-air, and moulting lemon feathers, which disappeared before they hit the ground. **"Oh great," **he muttered to himself, flying through the wall into Ash's room, **"she's always lurking around, except for the one time where things are getting damn freaky…"**

**            "You called?" **purred the Espeon, bitterly from where she had materialised on Ash's bed. **"Honestly, I am not meant to tailor to your every command," **she said with an air of superiority. **"Do you _realise_ I had to leave the Grand Council of-"**

**            "No, and I really don't give a damn," **Brock babbled, coming to a halt by the bed and accepting his wings back under his shoulder blades with a small zipping sound. **"Something is definitely wrong with Tracey. I mean… psycho movie scary." **A look of human dismay appeared on the Espeon's face.

          **"Oh Brock! Did I not specifically tell you-"**

**            "You told me specifically nothing!" **Brock yelled in a worried tone. **"All you've done is spout cryptic bullshit! Now I want answers – I'm worried for three of my friends now, and I want to know what's going on!" **Catalia smiled smugly as Brock ceased breathing so heavily.

          **"You should watch your language, Angel," **she yawned, **"but as you wish. What is it you so desperately wish to know, then?"**

**            "First off, what the hell is wrong with Tracey?"**

**            "How should I know?" **Catalia said haughtily. **"A Helios Angel probably infected him with a virus. If that's true, I wouldn't touch him, by the way."**

**            "Too late," **growled Brock, and Catalia's eyes widened in shock.

          **"Oh! Oh my! I was… only joking…" **She looked horror-stricken, panicking Brock. **"He's been infected?"**

**            "His wings were all screwed up with red crystals, and it hurt like hell when he touched me. Plus I wasn't able to see him all day, although he said he had been there."**

**            "Ohhh no, no, no…" **the Espeon yipped, jumping up. **"I shall need to consult the Council's advice… speak to Grace…" **she murmured, half to herself. **"You! Don't go anywhere! I shall be right back!"**

However, Brock didn't have time to go anywhere, because as soon as the Espeon had closed her eyes, they snapped open again.

          **"Grace isn't happy," **she snapped, pacing the bed, **"trust him to do something like this – he's so immature!"**

**            "WHAT are you TALKING about?" **Brock yelled, **"You said you'd stop with the cryptic crap!" **Catalia sighed, sitting regally upright and stretching out her forelegs.

          **"You humans," **she murmured, **"you think you're so important – and that you have the answers for everything. You're the Third Existence – and the least meaningful. The other two worlds are Heaven and Helios-"**

**            "Excuse me?" **Brock asked, bewildered already. Catalia stared at him blankly.

          **"Helios – you know, the Bottom Plain…"**

**            "Hell?" **Brock asked, in disbelief.

          **"Yes, whatever you humans are calling it these days," **she rolled her eyes, and carried on. **"Basically your entire world was made by Grace and Judas – they went out when they were young," **she added by way of an explanation. **"And when they broke up…" **she hesitated, **"I'm afraid your world got a little caught in the middle…**

**            Judas was from Helios… it's really not as bad as you humans make it out to be, scenery wise. There isn't any fire, or physical torture, but… you can have everything you could ever wish for, but you could never become happy. You would be surrounded by miserable people, and be miserable yourself, for all time. So yeah, it is torture," **she grimaced.

          **"I don't believe this…" **Brock groaned. **"So you're saying that God is a woman called Grace, and Satan is a guy called Judas?"**

**            "I didn't say they had specific genders," **Catalia defended, **"gender segregation is an invention of your little world, don't try to heave it on us!**

**            So anyway, Judas encourages the… ah, not so good things in your world, and of course, Grace encourages the good. And the two are always pulling on people, as a way of… well, winning over the other. You know how people get when they go through a messy break-up," **she smiled. Brock furrowed his brow.

          **"Okay, enough. Long story short… what has happened to Tracey?" **Catalia bit her lip.

          **"Well, he's been infiltrated by Judas, we think. By the Head Fate Angel of Helios probably… Catisharach," **she growled the name. **"What it basically means is that he now has access to all of Tracey's feelings and memories, and can manipulate them – and he will. He'll find any way to encourage Tracey to stop Mr Ketchum and Miss Waterflower from reconciling." **Catalia snarled to herself. **"He is SUCH a jerk…"**

**            "Yes, but what does this all mean to Tracey?" **Brock asked, impatiently. Catalia looked up at him, with wide eyes.

          **"He's become a Fallen Angel," **she said simply. **"We must make sure Fate runs smoothly if he ever has a chance of returning to Heaven…" **Brock groaned.

          **"So basically, what you're saying is: keep trying to get Ash and Misty back together, and be wary of Tracey?"**

**            "Pretty much… Ash is coming…" **the Angel sensed his presence approaching. **"I must leave you now. I'm sorry for this, Brock, it must be a bit of a shock for you…"**

**            "Nah, it's cool actually," **Brock said, decidedly, standing up. **"But I do have one more question."**

**            "Hurry."**

**            "What's Heaven like then?" **Catalia smiled as she slipped from view.

          **"If you have even the smallest amount of good and decency in you, then you will be happy there, for as long as you wish," **she murmured, as she disappeared proficiently.

          **"Yeah but-" **Brock called after her as Ash entered the room dismally, and of course, paid him no heed, **"-can you spy on girls in the showers and stuff?"**


End file.
